Budapest Wine Festival

With over 30 years of experience, the Budapest Wine Festival attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually, showcasing top Hungarian wineries and cuisine at the stunning Buda Castle. This year’s event, held between September 7-10, will focus on enhancing wine knowledge through interactive programs in the VinAgora & Tasting Interactive Wine Tent, as well as acquainting local folks with the world of South American viticulture, with winemakers representing their countries from Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, and Brazil. Get your tickets now!

1014 Budapest, Buda Castle | Website

Chain Bridge Festival

Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the unification of Buda, Óbuda and Pest in a symbolic location, at the two ends of the refurbished Chain Bridge! On 16 September, immerse yourself in a historic birthday bash that will take place simultaneously in both Pest and Buda. Experience an array of spectacular concerts and electrifying DJ sets, and other diverse music related events. Come join the jubilant crowds, marvel at the breathtaking views of the city, and embrace the spirit of unity to become a true Budapester—even if just for a day!

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Chimney Cake Fondue Variations Weekend

Located in City Park, Édes Mackó is a sweet retreat for those with a craving for sweet treats: the venue offers a wide and colourful variety of chimney cakes, the traditional delicacy of Transylvania. On 16-17 September, they’ll put a creative spin on the classic confection by serving it with a choice selection of dips: treat yourself to rich Belgian chocolate, creamy poppy seed vanilla custard, luscious pistachio cream, or velvety whipped cream, elevating your chimney cake experience to a whole new level of deliciousness.

1146 Budapest, Állatkerti körút 14-16. | Website

Pancs Sunday Market

Located in the courtyard of the city’s biggest craft beer bar, Élesztőház, Pancs Gasztroplacc operates every Sunday between 9am and 2pm. The popular farmers’ market awaits conscious customers with a seasonally changing merchandise of smoked meats, cheese specialties, fruits and veggies, high quality bakery products, and more, complete with regular workshops, meet-and-eats, and charity cooking events. Don’t miss out on this vibrant community hub where you can shop local, support small businesses, and enjoy a delightful culinary experience!

1094 Budapest, Tűzoltó utca 22. | Website

Rheinriesling (Rajnai Rizling, in Hungarian) is one of the noblest grape varieties in the world. Its light, elegant and fruity notes create high acidity and freshness, making it the perfect still wine behind our favourite bubbly. No doubt why Hungaria picked this special variety as the main inspiration for their 11^th limited edition product.

This zesty and characterful sparkling wine is the result of a 9-month-long process (including the fermentation and aging) in which mature notes and refreshing flavours came together and harmonize very well. It’s a light, greenish coloured, citrusy product with crispy acidity and a sugar content of 10g/l.

Hungaria Rajnai Rizling Brut Special Edition (as you’ll find it in store shelves) is a characterful, crispy drink invoking green apple’s flavours with citrus and mineral notes, sold in 12 000 bottles.

The limited-edition specialty will be introduced to the crowd at 27th Budapest Wine Festival held between 6-9 September, and it will be available at the brand’s platinum partners in the future. Visit their stand (number 45) at Buda Castle and be among the very first ones to taste their newest addition!

Learn more about the brand here!

Budapest Wine Festival is awaiting wine-loving visitors with an impressive line-up of events related to culture and gastronomy once again. Attendees can enjoy the gorgeous panorama day and night while tasting a glass of high-quality wine produced by more than 200 Hungarian and foreign wineries. This year Balaton wineries get into the spotlight, but the event offers insight to the region’s gastronomy and culture as well. The program called “Balaton NOW” aims at proving that Balaton’s dazzling life doesn’t end by the arrival of autumn.

Prior to the festival, wine-lovers can participate at courses provided by the Wine University, held just one week before the event takes place. Learn more about well-known Balaton grape varieties, get to know some exceptional wineries and take part at the wine tasting, too. (Location: MOM Cultural Center (18 Csörsz utca, Buda), date: 3 September.)

Wine Pairing Experiment – Wine Tasting Events with Professional Guidance

Are you curious about interesting behind-the-scenes secrets related to wine making? Budapest Wine Festival presents you with great wine pairings, that is, two wine types with a slight difference in their character. You’ll get to learn what makes them unique: the importance of vineyards, barrels and the year of the harvest. There will be several wineries at the event which offer wine pairings, to find out more about them, please check the event’s booklet!

VinAgora Taste of Hungary: The Country’s Best Wine

VinAgora Taste of Hungary is all about carefully selected wines: the event aims at introducing and representing the colourful Hungarian wine culture to all visitors, locals and foreigners alike. The festival offers more than VinAgora’s award-winning wine: guests can learn more on different grape types, local specialties and many more.

As a novelty, you can try the festival’s online application, Vinometer which guides you to the most excellent wineries. Use it for thematic wine-tasting tours, try and evaluate the suggested winery’s products for a chance to win a bottle of the most popular ones each day!

Concerts and dance performances

Once you are there, you’ll discover 4 stages where Budapest Wine Festival’s concerts and other performances take place. World music’s most popular Hungarian representatives, as well as folk and jazz musicians will take the stage to entertain the wine-loving crowd; the line-up includes Kéknyúl, Kiscsillag, Antonia Vai, Richter Ambrus, and Boban Marcovic’s son, Marco, just to mention a few names.

The Harvest Festival is another program you should definitely see, and as every year, it will be followed by a folk gala thanks to Fonó Buda Music House. The colourful crowd kicks off the party at 12.30 PM on 9 September, at Szentháromság tér. It’s going to be one of the most interesting acts taking place at Budapest Wine Festival, don’t miss out!

Gastronomy

As wine and gastronomy are two inseparable things, the festival won’t be lacking in culinary wonders: from gourmet specialties to modern street food (including Pizza Me’s delicious pizza which is made on only Italian ingredients) you’ll be able to find whatever your taste buds desire. Visit Terra Tuffola’s stand (their forest mushroom specialties are heavenly), or taste Dziugas’ incredible Lithuanian cheese creations. If you are a cheese lover, we’ve got even more great news: Szega Market also specializes at cheese, and NG Cafe comes with a special cheese terrace!

Furnace-baked delicacies will be brought to you by Szittya Pita Kenyérlángosozó and Szittya Buci, while SPAR’s Grill truck and Fresh corner car will also amaze you with their delicious offers. Gourmets, head to Ritz-Carlton Hotel’s restaurant or Deák st. Kitchen! It’s worth to walk around and discover all the many options you have, no matter if you are looking for a cup of fine coffee (Julius Meinl, Pellini Caffé), or something sweet (Antik Rétes, Gerbeaud, Bolka Bonbon), you’ll find it at the festival.

Butlers Wine Quiz Bar

There is no better place for indulging in the wine culture than at an imposing interior. Butlers home decor store’s nice tent will provide a great venue for NÉBIH (The National Food Chain Safety Office) wine and alcoholic drink’s directory’s wine game. 2018 is the year of kékfrankos (blue Frankish), meaning that the quiz is likely to focus on this grape variety. The interactive tent is open for everyone who would put their wine knowledge to test, and want to earn themselves a prize in return!

The list of programs is almost endless: other than the several wine-tasting events, check out Autistic Art’s exhibition of unique wine labels, or have a nice, 3-course dinner at Budapest Terrace (near Baroque gate) paired with excellent, VinAgora’s award-winning wines. (You can book your table in advance, and you will not have to queue for food or the festival ticket. f you cannot attend the festival but already paid for a “Set Table” menu, you can consume it at the same place until 30th September.)

Further Information, Details

Purchase your ticket for 3 400 HUF on the spot, or online in advance, at a discounted prize. (Daily ticket includes 1 crystal tasting glass, free entry to the permanent exhibitions of the Budapest History Museum and a wristband with unlimited exit and re-enrty for 1 day/person.)

Open:

6-7 September – 2 PM to midnight
8 September – Noon to midnight
9 September – Noon to 10 PM

It’s an event where all members of the family will have fun, regardless of age. Please visit the event’s website and find out more about the festival by clicking here.

Photo credit: Zsolt Szigetváry